All In Due Time
by EbonyOsmosis
Summary: He could have gone on forever if they hadn't caught him. Now he'd face the firing squad.
1. Caught

All In Due Time

Chapter 1: Caught

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><p>By the time they brought him in, he was just about at the end of his rope. Half-starved and delirious from months on the run without time to stop, he was thin and haggard. His clothes fit loosely when they hadn't before. Somehow he'd managed to retain some muscle, but all excess body fat was gone, leaving him composed of sharp angles and hollow caverns. His cheeks, sunken in, dark circles under eyes that still barely held a flicker of life, and with it, defiance. No one knew why his hands were wrapped and why he only had one glove on, but no one bothered to ask, as they were in the process of slamming him in the gut with the butt of a rifle. He was just glad that it wasn't the business end.<p>

But then again, that might have been more merciful in the long run. He knew they would be sending him to one of three people, and none of those options gave him very much hope for his well being.

"Chin up, Maxwell, I'm sure it will be relatively quick," one of the men taunted. They sat on either side of him with those rifles in hand, and he thought about making a run for it just so he could get the relatively painless death of a fatal gun shot. Quick and easy. Compared to the other option, anyway. But maybe they were expecting that, and would just keep a tight hold on his chains so he couldn't force them to shoot. He wouldn't be able to get far, anyway. His legs were numb and shaky from his last escape attempt, and the manacles felt like led weights on his bruised wrists. At least they couldn't yank him around by his hair. He'd chopped off the iconic braid months ago to avoid detection, but it hadn't gained him much more than an extra month on the run. He had struggled with the decision, but in the end survival won out over sentimentality and pride.

His thoughts came to a halt with the armored transport truck, and since he wasn't expecting it he ended up shifting in his sideways seat right into one of his guards. The man pushed him off without much concern. He was very light these days, so he couldn't have made much of a force.

When the guards stood and hauled him up by his elbows, he stumbled after them. He considered again making a run for it, his eyes gazing keenly around the garage for possible exits, but he was just so damn tired. He could've kept going forever if they hadn't caught it, but now that they knew where he was and had him in their clutches, it felt like any escape was useless. He wouldn't manage to get very far, having burned up his reserves in that final chase. All he could do now was let himself be led to his destination. That could have been his demise or his saving grace, but the horrifying thing was he just didn't know for sure either way.

Before he knew it, because his head was starting to spin, they had brought him into an interrogation room, sitting him roughly in the chair and leaving his wrists bound. He was busy staring at the table top, because he felt if he moved too much he might throw up on the spot. Not that there was anything in his stomach to throw up, but dry heaves were just as bad and he didn't think he could handle it.

"Leave us."

Duo's breath froze in his lungs at the voice, his heart starting to hammer rapidly. Oh god.

"But sir-"

"He won't be any trouble. Go."

Duo heard his escorts give up with a weak salute and leave the room. In a way he was glad to have them gone, but in another way he was terrified to be alone with his new captor.

"Maxwell, look at me."

Duo swallowed thickly, fighting off the head rush as he struggled to do just that. When he finally picked his head up and the world stopped spinning, he felt his stomach erupt in a flurry of anxiety when he met those dark eyes. "Chang," he greeted, hoping his voice wasn't as shaky as he felt it was.

"Finally found you," Wufei mused quietly, staring at the brunette with an unsettling calm about him. "The time has been hard on you," he pointed out in observation.

Duo shifted uncomfortably in his seat, unsure of how to take the statement. He was so tired, he wished he could lean back in the chair but his hands were cuffed behind him. Dark eyes picked up on this movement, and Duo unintentionally flinched when the Chinese man stood and walked over to him. Before he knew it, his cuffs were unlocked and his sore arms were free. He watched Wufei suspiciously while rubbing his wrists as the man walked back around to take his seat once more. "Thanks," he muttered finally, his voice scratchy with disuse.

"Why were you running?" Wufei asked calmly.

Duo swallowed thickly, trying to wet his throat before speaking. That one word had been painful enough, he didn't want a sentence to rip up his throat. "Innocent men fight for their freedom," he said, his voice almost going out on him. He hadn't spoken to anyone in over a month.

Abruptly, Wufei stood up, making Duo flinch again. But the Chinese man merely walked to the door, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him. Duo stared at the barrier in confusion, wondering what the hell his old war comrade was playing at. Was he going to let him stew in silence in hopes of making him admit something? Again, his eyes roved around the room, noting possible exits. The door, the ventilation, the two way mirror leading to the other room. But he was just so tired, he didn't have any more escape left in him. So Duo just let his head fall to the table, letting out a haggard sigh as his body deflated. It felt good. He did not have to worry about someone finding him, because he was already caught. Now he could rest for more than two seconds, let out another bone weary sigh, let his eyes close...

He wasn't sure if he had drifted off for two seconds or two hours, but something setting down on the table by his face made him start awake. His heart was pounding like mad again, and when he looked around for the threat, it was to see a glass of water and a plate of simple food. He looked up in surprise, Wufei standing before him with a 'well?' type of look on his impartial face.

Duo slowly reached for the water, bringing it to his lips to take a long sip. Watching him closely, Wufei sat down. Duo continued to drink, eventually downing the whole glass in one go. When he finished, he let out a haggard breath, feeling the water run down his throat all the way to his empty stomach, where it sloshed around uncomfortably. He gripped the glass in one gloved hand before forcing himself to release it, one of the stray threads gripping to the condensation left on the outside. One cheap glove. Pilfered from a cheap store and the fingers cut off so he could still shoot a gun, still wire a trap, still pick a lock. He just couldn't do any of that with his hands numb.

"Where's your other glove?" Wufei asked, his eyes having strayed to the mismatched hands.

"Lost it," Duo replied shortly, his voice marginally better but he was still unused to talking much. Ironic. He'd talked non-stop in the past, talking just to fill the silence and to make him feel like he had someone who wanted to listen. But now talking was a death sentence, a give away, a threat.

His hands shook, reminded of the cold. He was always fucking cold. Muscle didn't provide much insulation, and he lost all body heat after the third week of not eating. Hence the gloves. Cold of the body he could deal with, but he would've died without functioning fingers.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

Again, Duo's eyes strayed to the plate of food. He knew it wouldn't be poisoned. Someone could just as easily kick him down the stairwell at this point, and every one of his brittle bones would break on the way down. Much easier than going to the bother of poison. But it still felt wrong. He didn't know what Wufei's intentions were, and while he was desperate enough for the water and trusted it, because Wufei was looking for answers, the food was still gray area.

"What do you want from me?" Duo asked in a low voice. "You have me, why the game?"

Wufei's eyebrows furrowed, the first sign of emotion from him the entire time. He leaned in slowly over the table, his voice just as quiet. "Do you have any idea what kind of strings I had to pull to get you before they had you executed?" he asked quietly.

Duo's eyes widened in surprise, until he abruptly leaned back in the chair and let out a gusty laugh. "Man, I never know what's goin on in your head," he said breezily, that old grin from times past taking up residence on his face. The sight of it made Wufei's lips quirk in a smile.

"Eat," he said again, crossing his arms on the table.

And that was all Duo needed. He immediately dug into the food, knowing his stomach would cramp up because he was unused to decent meals, but damn it he would enjoy it. He was no stranger to starvation and living off of garbage cans, but that didn't mean he liked it. Now that he knew he could trust Wufei, he didn't give a shit about motives, he just needed something, some form of sustenance. Wufei may have been one of his captors, but the Shenlong pilot was on his side in this cluster fuck of events.

The Chinese man was watching him go at the food like an animal, a perturbed look on his face. "You haven't been taking care of yourself," he noted unhappily.

Remembering Wufei's distaste for his more uncouth habits, Duo finished his massive bite of food before replying. "Haven't had the time," he said truthfully. "Your men have been on my tail day an' night."

Wufei hummed thoughtfully, reaching out to grab the empty glass and leaving the room to refill it, Duo hoped. He continued eating in the mean time, feeling each bite of food doing a dance in his stomach. It filled up his belly, but damn he was starting to feel a little sick. He couldn't be bothered to take heed, though, he just kept eating. Even if he threw it all up, he could at least feel the sensation of having a full stomach for at least a little bit. Maybe it would help him think a little straighter and make his case to the cops.

When Wufei returned, Duo looked up to look for the glass of water, but he froze mid-chew when he saw who else was standing with the man in the doorway. He swallowed thickly, the food making a painful trip down his throat and making his eyes water a bit. "Heero," he choked quietly, greeting the Japanese man.

Fuck, was this going to be good cop, bad cop? Wufei was obviously the good cop here, that meant Heero was gonna tear him to pieces and probably make him cry like a little girl. His wit wasn't up to par after going so long without a target for his banter, so he didn't think he could keep up in the mental race.

"Maxwell," Heero greeted in a flat voice, closing the door behind him. The two Asian men walked over to the table, Wufei setting the glass down. But Duo had lost his appetite, because there was a new variable in the equation and he didn't feel safe. Wufei had confirmed that he was with Duo for the moment, but Heero was another story. Did Heero believe he was guilty?

They obviously picked up on his anxiety, because Wufei spoke up. "Maxwell, we're just here for the truth and to give you a chance to speak. For you to be uncuffed, they want two agents in here," he explained, letting on without saying it that they weren't trying to gang up on him.

Duo looked to Heero for clarification, eyeing the Japanese man with some anxiety still. "Heero?" he asked carefully.

"If you are not guilty, why did you run?" Heero asked simply, and coming from anyone else it would have sounded like an accusation. But Heero Yuy did not do things in that manner. He gathered facts and information. The fact that it wasn't an accusation helped to put Duo at ease a bit, and he relaxed in his chair.

"C'mon man. A Gundam pilot accused of murdering the Vice Minister?" he asked grimly. "I _loved _Relena, man. After she got over all that squealing and stalking you, she was really cool. She had a real good head on her shoulders, and I wouldn't dare take that away from the world. Not when I fought alongside you guys and shed just as much blood for her to have a chance to _do _something," he insisted calmly. "Why'd I run? Cause no one fuckin' believed me and they woulda thrown me right into the firing squad. So I tried to find out who _did _murder Lena."

"Did you?" Heero asked.

"Kinda hard to research when I was bein' chased down like a dog," Duo mumbled, finally reaching out for the water to take a sip. "But I found some leads. It was hard, since my old contacts won't talk ta me, think they're gonna get shot down for fraternizing with a wanted assassin."

Wufei and Heero glanced at each other briefly, some sort of philosophical discussion going on with eye contact alone. They seemed to be deciding his fate, or at least his credibility. Duo snorted and set down the water, folding his arms over his chest. "See, that's one thing I didn't miss 'bout you two clowns, yer whole silent act. You guys always knew how to talk over my head without sayin' a word," he pointed out. "If this is gonna go on for a while, let me know, cause I'm gonna take a nap," Duo grumbled, folding his arms on the table and rest his chin on them. He was exhausted, hadn't slept properly in months, and he'd just been chased down by Preventers. Now that his stomach was full, he was just about ready to pass out. He knew the other two could tell.

"We've managed to get you a trial," Heero said, as Duo was slowly drifting off. "That will give us more time to prove your innocence."

"So... you believe me?" Duo asked meekly, looking up through his bangs at the Asian men. He didn't give a shit about what the world thought of him as long as he knew he was innocent. But the idea of his best friends, his comrades, brothers in arms thinking he had murdered Relena... That kept him up on the nights where he wasn't running for his life, and it was always hard to tell with Wufei and especially Heero.

"Baka," Heero said with a hint of amusement. "Of course we do."

"Did you ever think at some point that I done it?"

There was a silence following his question, as if they'd rather just not air it.

Duo smiled, settling his head down into pillowed arms. "Tha's okay," he mumbled, letting his eyelids slide closed with a yawn. "I woulda thought so too," he said, just before slipping into sleep.

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><p>AN: This might or might not be a one shot, not sure.


	2. Paused

All In Due Time

Chapter 2: Paused

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><p>He was cold. He was sore. He was tired. He decided within five seconds that Preventers had terrible room service, even with a couple of them on his side. Despite the fact that Heero and Wufei vouched for him, he still had to be kept secure and confined. The holding cell was barren and cold, a white washed cage for the dog they'd tracked down after he had gotten loose. They'd taken his sweater and remaining glove without any explanation, leaving him shivering on the bunk bed with his arms behind his back. It was old and ratty and falling apart, but it had fucking kept him alive some nights where he would have otherwise frozen to death in some dark alley. He wanted his shitty sweater back.<p>

Duo sighed shakily as he hunched over, resting his forehead on his knees while his arms stretched and ached behind his back. He wanted to curl up and block everything out, because it was just sinking in that he was caught and facing murder charges. Not just any murder, but the murder of fucking Relena Peacecraft. What the fuck had even landed him in this mess and god he was going to die he was going to be executed. They were going to shoot him point blank. Not even Wufei and Heero could convince the world that he was innocent when it so desperately wanted someone to blame. He was the scapegoat, the target to pin the crime, and now that they had him they weren't going to let him go.

God he was fucking cold. To hell with the trial and the execution, he was going to freeze to death by the time they got their asses together and came for him. He growled low in his throat and turned sideways so he could lean against the wall, resting his forehead on the cold wall. He closed his eyes in frustration, wishing someone would either put him out of his misery or get the ball rolling on his trial. "Fuck them," he said suddenly, squirming a little and rolling his shoulders to put some feeling back into his limbs. When he felt he wouldn't pull anything, Duo leaned back a little, wincing when he rolled over his hands and the cuffs dug into the small of his back. But far enough back and he could slip his cuffed wrists forward, bringing them over his legs until his hands were in front of him. At least now he could bring his hands close and hunch over them, trying to instill some heat into the cold digits.

Three hours later and he had nearly dozed off, but he was too cold and exhausted to sleep, so he was awake when he heard footsteps. He looked up to see Wufei in front of his cell with another agent, who unlocked the door to the holding cell and allowed the Chinese man inside. Wufei flicked his head and the agent left. Duo's eyes immediately flew to what Wufei was holding, his sweater draped over an arm, a glass of water in one hand, and a plate of food in the other. "I could kiss you," Duo announced flatly, eyes trained to the food.

"Please don't," Wufei replied, almost amused. He came forward to where Duo was sitting on the cement bench, setting down the food and the water so he could drape the old sweater over Duo's shoulders. He then took a small key out of his pocket, to which the brunette held his wrists up. Wufei grabbed his left hand to hold it steady, but withdrew his hold upon touching Duo's skin. "God, you're freezing," he said in amazement, going back in to unlock the cuffs and set them aside.

"I don't retain heat," the brunette answered distractedly. With his wrists free, Duo stuck his arms into the sleeves of the sweater and immediately grabbed up the plate of food. It wasn't five star cuisine, but he was hungry enough to eat anything. He picked up the fork in one numb, shaky hand and began to eat, filling his stomach for the second time after months of eating scraps on the run. A thought came to him as Wufei sat down on the stone bench, his eyebrows furrowing comically as he felt the cold of the structure. "So what evidence do they have on me?" Duo asked after finishing a bite.

"Not much," Wufei replied, shaking his head. "But like you said, everyone thinks you did it, so they're trying to stretch it out to get you executed."

"And let me guess, they're startin' ta trip over the red tape that you an' Heero set up?" the brunette asked, grinning.

Wufei nodded. "Yes, but it won't take them long to cut through it all. Proper procedure, handling of the accused, they'll burn through that. That's why we have to move fast," he explained. "We're finding a lawyer to work your case, and we need to get your defense airtight. Any little crack in your story, and they'll bring you down. Yuy and I were already discussing how to get them to look around your running away, we were thinking... Maxwell?"

Duo had slowly lowered his fork back to the plate, and the gaze he focused on his cooling meal was full of mixed emotions, masked behind a blank look. "It's getting too real," he whispered in his still raspy voice. "I don't know if I can do this, when they'll be lookin' at me, _wanting _me to be guilty," he murmured. His eyes were averted from Wufei's gaze, but he could see the thoughts racing, how he was calculating. "I was thinkin' maybe I should just..."

"No," Wufei cut in immediately, eyeing the brunette's defiant look sternly. "You've tried it your way. Now we'll try it my way."

Duo remained silent for a long moment, his blue eyes keenly thoughtful in that sharp look that Wufei remembered so well from when they were kids. It was the look that Duo got when the L2 orphan in him took over, his quick mind working and turning in self-preservation, looking for danger, traps, a way out, an opportunity. He was judging the situation, judging whether or not Wufei's suggestion would get him killed. He was starting to think the brunette was devising a way to throw him off without making a promise, and Wufei was busy trying to figure out how to counter that.

"I trust you," Duo suddenly said after the long silence, surprising the Preventer agent. The turmoil behind his eyes had quieted, leaving a calm, quiet acceptance. And somewhere, hidden deep behind guarded walls, maybe some fear for a different reason. After running and hiding for so long, trusting only himself, Duo was finally relinquishing his fate to hands other than his own. That scared the brunette, and the image it presented was both saddening and bolstering. Duo was run so ragged, so tired from running and being hunted. It showed when he let his eyes close finally.

"I trust you."

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><p>The next day passed in a blur for Duo. He still hadn't truly slept, despite spending all night sitting upright against the cell wall with his eyes closed. So the day after he'd been brought in, he started out in a heavy fog, staring at the wall in a daze. Despite the face that he was no longer on the run, he was still mentally and physically exhausted at the idea of what would happen with his trial. But Duo just ignored the fatigue as this wasn't the first time his own anxiety had kept him up all night. He'd gone days without sleeping only to be up and running at a moments notice.<p>

But this was different, he was slowly beginning to realize. He wasn't just going to spring up and start running. He was having a trial, he was expected to defend himself with words, not knives or his fists. If he wanted to stay out of prison, or worse, the electric chair, he would need to be able to think clearly and make a case for himself in front of the judge. Now his anxiety was creeping up again and he felt the urge to curse. He always knew how to shoot himself in the foot, and now Duo felt like he was doing a great job of psyching himself out. He didn't need a lawyer standing over him with a disapproving glare, he was freaking himself out.

That's why he jumped when Heero entered his cell in his usual abrupt manner, unconcerned with the ex-fugitive's fidgety behavior.

"Geeze Heero, learn ta knock," Duo said in agitation, running a hand through his short hair and wishing not for the first time that he could wring the old braid in his hands. That thing had been like a security blanket and sometimes he really missed the damn pain-in-the-ass hair.

"There is no door to knock on," Heero replied steadily.

The captured man sighed and rolled his eyes. "Good to see you haven't lost your sense of humor," he said dryly. "Where's Wu?"

"He is trying to find someone for your case, and there is no time for humor, your trial is tomorrow and we are highly unprepared."

"What? Tomorrow!" Duo shouted in surprise as he stood up. "But that gives us shit to put together a defense!"

"Exactly," Heero replied, gently yet firmly pushing Duo back down and then sitting next to him on the cold bench. "That is their intent, so they can easily convict you."

"And you guys always called me fuckin' paranoid!" the American growled. "They really are out to get me! Everyone wants me dead for somethin' I didn't fuckin' do! What's a guy gotta do to prove his innocence around here?"

"For starters, one would not freak out and throw a tantrum when we need to be preparing," Heero insisted in a calm, pragmatic tone. All this earned from Duo was a glare, which was more hard and angry than the Perfect Soldier remembered because of the thinner lines of his face and the dark circles under his eyes. Heero felt something in his stomach knot uncomfortably when he imagined how Duo must have been living, but he pushed it down in favor of being the voice of reason. "We have to prepare your defense from every angle, starting with why you ran and why you _kept _running. That is where the prosecutor will hit you the hardest."

Meanwhile, Duo was scrubbing his face harshly with both hands, groaning in defeat and annoyance at the same time. "It doesn't matter! They're gonna bust me either way because they _want _me to be guilty!"

"You _can not _keep insisting that," Heero barked suddenly, startling Duo out of his pity party and gaining his rapt attention. "If you keep putting yourself in that mindset we will fail before you even get into that courtroom," he said harshly. "You're setting yourself up for destruction. I know you don't want to get your hopes up, but this isn't helping. So stop focusing on what _they _want you to be and start focusing on the fact that you are innocent."

Duo stared at him for a long moment, eyes wide and surprised as he sat strangely quiet. After a few moments to recover from his shock, Duo cracked a weak grin at the other man, ruffling a shaky hand through his hair and averting his eyes sheepishly. "Wow, way to pep talk a guy, 'Ro," he joked, still not meeting the gaze focused on him. He'd been downright wary of Heero since being captured, even after finding out that he and Wufei were on his side. But now he remembered why he broke the guy out of that military hospital, why he continued to hang out with him after Heero stole parts off his Gundam, and why they'd been best friends so long ago.

"Thanks," he finally said, hesitantly meeting Heero's eyes. "For kicking my ass," he added with his old crooked smile. It had been too long since he smiled, and the action felt familiar despite how unfamiliar it had become.

Something in Heero's stare softened a little, and he nodded in return upon realizing he'd reacquired the man's trust. "Now come on, we have to prepare your defense. My pep talk will not convince the jury."

"No, but it might scare the shit outta them," Duo replied with a smirk. "That would probably help."

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><p>It was later on after some intense ironing out of his story that Duo met the man who would be defending him in court. He and Heero were in a conference room on the condition that armed guards stood outside the door. They had been allowed use of the room since it was warmer and a bit more comfortable than the cell, not to mention better lit.<p>

They were going over a timeline of the few months Duo had spent on the run, and both looked up when Wufei entered with a man in a smart looking suit. Duo assumed this was the lawyer who would be defending him, and had to wonder how many hoops Wufei jumped through to get someone on his case. When they came over to the conference table, Duo stood up to meet the man and eyed him carefully.

"Mr. Maxwell, I presume," the stranger said pleasantly, holding his hand out to shake. Duo took the offered hand without a word, waiting for the introduction. "I'm Alex Whitter, I'll be defending you tomorrow."

Duo's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the man. "I'm gonna be upfront here cause I want to know right now. Do you think I'm innocent?"

Heero and Wufei paused in surprise, their gazes turning from Duo to Alex to see what the man's reaction would be. A lot of how he responded would determine whether or not Duo trusted him to take his case, whether or not he had a choice in the matter.

"To be honest, Mr. Maxwell, most of the time it doesn't matter," the man started, holding a hand up to silence Duo before he could let out an angry response. "When we take a case, it's not usually based on who we think is innocent. But in this case, I do believe in your innocence," he said honestly, surprising all of them. "During the war, I knew you and the other Gundam pilots were fighting for the good of man. After all you sacrificed in the fighting, I knew there was no way you murdered Relena Peacecraft. So yes, I know you're innocent and I will do my best to prove that," he finished.

Duo had actually been stunned silent by the man's honesty and conviction. So this man believed him, and even though that gave Duo cause to trust him, he had to wonder how far that would get him in court. "Okay, Alex," he finally said. "You're my guy. Defend me."

"That I will, Mr. Maxwell, that I will."

_End Chapter 2_

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><p>So I decided to continue this, as I was doing the writing equivalent of doodling some scenes after the initial chapter, and figured I had enough to go on. There will be two more chapters after this: the trial and then the conclusion.<p> 


	3. Tried

All In Due Time

Chapter 3: Tried

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><p>On the day of the trial, Duo sat in the Preventers transport car in his handcuffs with a blank look on his face. Heero and Wufei sat on either side of him, both for moral support and because Preventers wanted high security around him on the way to the courthouse. Duo had his hands clasped together tightly in his lap, hoping it would hide the trembling until they arrived. His nerves were shot, and despite telling himself that he needed to be on the ball and well rested, he hadn't slept at all.<p>

Where exhaustion had dogged his heels for months previously, now a different type of fatigue was bringing him down. That and the anxiety was what made his hands shake in such a manner. Today's outcome would affect everything. It would set the pace for the rest of his life, and even though he knew some people would think of him as Relena's assassin no matter what, he didn't want to think about the other end of the spectrum.

When they arrived at the courthouse, Duo felt his insides go cold when he saw the crowd outside the building. Reporters were waiting behind a police line, their cameras at the ready to catch a glimpse of the accused. At that moment he wanted nothing more than for the ground to open under his feet and swallow him up. He hadn't thought he'd get this much of a reception, but he'd forgotten who it was he was accused of killing. He squirmed in his seat as Heero got out first, holding the door open for him. Duo scooted over and slipped out, trying to hide behind Heero as Wufei came around from the other side of the car. Forget the media, he'd be hard pressed to get into the courthouse without someone trying to kill him.

But Wufei and Heero stayed glued to his sides like bodyguards, apparently keen to this possibility as well. One more Preventer led their group inside with two more bringing up the rear, effectively shielding Duo from the crowd that shouted and pressed for a comment.

"Maxwell, what drove you to murder?"

"How do you feel now that you're finally caught?"

"Do you regret killing Relena Peacecraft?"

Duo resisted the urge to scream a suggestion of where they could shove their questions, keeping well in his shield of Preventer escorts and ignoring the queries and camera flashes as best he could. He didn't want to let them rile him up before he even spoke on the stand. If he punched a reporter in the face it certainly would not lend to his credibility as an innocent man.

His escort led him up the steps and inside the courthouse, where the police line barred any further advance from the reporters. Duo felt some of the tension in his shoulders drop when the cacophony of voices and questions began to die down to the heavy silence of the courthouse. He was led down the marble entryway to a hall on the right hand side, their footsteps muffled on the lush carpeting. With such decadence all around him, the brunette began to shrink in on himself once more, feeling like the scum the world wanted him to be. He tried to remember Heero's words.

Stop focusing on what _they _want you to be.

He was fucked if he kept thinking about how everyone else wanted him to be guilty, so he tried to square his shoulders and walk a little straighter as they approached the large double doors. But as the oak doors parted and revealed the courtroom, he felt something in his stomach flutter and waver. The stands were full of people, who all turned to look at him with wide-eyed stares that threatened to make Duo shrink back again. He swallowed thickly and tried to ignore the eyes that stayed trained on him, following his escort up to the defendant stand.

His lawyer, Alex Whitter, was waiting at the desk with his briefcase and a load of stuffed folders in front of him. He desperately hoped that was all evidence to support him, because he would need as much reinforcement as he could get.

The front and rear of his escort broke off to stand at the oak doors, while Heero and Wufei continued to lead him towards the front of the room. Duo sat down in the vacant seat next to Whitter, and the two Preventers sat down to his left. He willfully ignored the hum of whispers and mumbling behind him, people he didn't even know discussing his fate and probably wishing for the worst. _Ignore them, _he thought furiously. _What do they know? They just want someone to blame._

"All rise!" came the voice of the bailiff, causing everyone in the courtroom to stand back up. A door at the very front of the room opened, and a man in black robes emerged from the area beyond. "The honorable Judge Simmons presiding."

Duo stared hard at the judge as he stepped up to the bench and situated himself, trying to get an idea of what he was in for. Then the man looked up, and the brunette felt his insides squeeze. Despite his appearance as a friendly middle-aged man, with slightly graying hair and thin wire framed glasses, his eyes spoke an entirely different story. Those cold brown eyes were indifferent at best, serious and focused for the task at hand. It gave Duo the feeling that this wasn't going to end well.

The bailiff spoke once more, once the judge had gotten comfortable in his seat. "Court will now come to order on the matter of the people of ESUN vs. Duo Maxwell. You may be seated."

The room's occupants took their seats once more, and once everyone was settled and the shuffling had stopped, the judge looked around. He didn't speak or make a sound, just swept his eyes over the court like a lion over his domain. What he was looking for became apparent when his gaze landed on Duo, and a dark look crossed his features.

Despite the presence of Heero and Wufei to his left, and a competent lawyer who believed in his innocence on his right, Duo felt a chill run up his spine like the hand of death running a cold finger against his skin.

* * *

><p>Four grueling hours and two recesses later, Duo was mentally drained from being questioned over and over, being asked the same questions multiple times and giving the same answers. He knew they were trying to pick apart his story and get him to stumble, but it was just so exhausting, especially when the opposite counsel kept giving him those looks like he was a dirty scoundrel.<p>

But after half the day had passed in a blur and all that talking and back and forth was over, it had come time for the decision. The jury stood quietly and left to a private area closed off from the rest of the courtroom, signaling the end of his trial. The time to prove his innocence was over. Duo felt himself becoming more and more anxious, that fluttery feeling returning to his stomach like a hurricane. He felt sick, his clenched hands shaking in his lap.

"Don't worry," Alex told the nervous brunette in a whisper. "They have nothing to stand on."

Duo wanted to believe his lawyer, the man knew his stuff, but it was hard for him to be calm when his life was hanging on the line. These were strangers deciding his fate, and it did not raise any confidence in him. He only had three people on his side in the room, which stacked the odds against him. He watched with trepidation as the jury reentered the courtroom, taking their seats in the jury box once more. Duo didn't know if it was a good or a bad sign that they had only spent about ten minutes deliberating on his life.

"Have you reached a conclusion?" the judge asked once they were seated.

One of them on the far right stood up to act as their one voice, a tall man with a kind looking face that gave Duo a measure of hope. "We have."

"On the crime of murdering Vice Foreign Minister Peacecraft, how do you find the defendant Duo Maxwell?"

Duo sucked in a sharp breath in anticipation as he waited for the man to speak, wondering what the pause was for if not to torture him. The whole room had fallen into a hush, waiting just as pertinently as he was for the decision...

"Guilty."

"What?" Duo called in shock as he stood up, his voice nearly drowned out as the court room erupted into a noise the same time he did. Along with him, there were a few sounds of protest and displeasure, but most of the voices in the room sounded vindicated, happy that a man was being put to death.

"But I didn't do it!" Duo yelled over the noise.

The judge was too busy banging his gavel on the podium, trying to get the court room to quiet down. "Order in my court room!" he yelled hotly. "Take the defendant out of here! Duo Maxwell will be sentenced to death today!"

"No!" the brunette yelled, just as a pair of Preventers agents grabbed his cuffed arms. "This isn't right!" he screamed, the judge still trying to silence the room. His frantic eyes searched the chaos as the men led him away, finding his last hope. "Wufei! Heero!" he called, but they did not hear him over the noise, and were busy discussing something with grave looks on their faces. He felt his stomach drop out to be replaced by a black void, his ears ringing with the commotion of voices surrounding him.

Everything boiled down to buzzing in his ears, a sickening hum of noise that grated against his ears and turned his stomach. It was all too loud, swarming through his head and making his hands tremble in rage. The fury coiled in his gut, fury that the world he had fought so hard for had turned its back on him. The coil wound tighter and tighter, simmering under his skin like a fire until he finally snapped.

"I DIDN'T SHED BLOOD FOR YOU SO YOU ALL COULD FUCKING TURN ON ME!" he suddenly screamed, quieting the court room. The men who had been tugging him out of the room paused, staring at him in surprise like everyone else. The outburst had left a tense hush over the heads of everyone watching him, their shocked stares accompanying the stillness. His harried breathing filled the silence for a few tense moments, before a murmur swept through the room and woke them up from the shock.

"Get him out of here!" the judge shouted angrily, and the cacophony of talking picked up once more. The two agents tightened their grips and hauled him towards the door, causing him to stumble as he was forced to follow along like a rag doll. The vindicated chatter and jeering echoed in his head even as he left the courthouse, thrown back into the transport vehicle without mercy. They were taking him back to his holding cell at the Preventers building, but that would only last for so long. It would be mere hours before they put him on the chopping block. Hours before his running would end forever.

And all he could hear in his head were the satisfied voices as they discussed his fate like the results of a game.

Condemned.

* * *

><p>The second they put him back in the holding cell, Duo's mind was whirling with ideas and plans. He would not die like this. He wouldn't be punished for something he didn't do and he damn well wouldn't let the rat bastards catch him again. His eyes were roving over the cell as he wiggled one wrist experimentally, thinking about dislocating his hand to get it out of the cuff. There was a storm drain in the corner, way too small for him to fit through, but a vent on the high part of the wall he might be able to reach...<p>

Suddenly the sound of footsteps made him whirl around, thinking they were already coming for him, but it was Wufei. The Chinese man quickly unlocked the cell and stepped inside. "Maxwell, I'm going to-"

"Wufei, don't," Duo suddenly interrupted, not even wanting him to say it out loud for fear someone would overhear. He knew that look in his friend's eye and knew what Wufei was planning, but he wouldn't let the other man fuck up his own life over a fugitive. "I don't want to hear anything from you!" he said in a loud voice, imploring with his eyes for the other man to understand.

For a moment, Wufei looked confused, before he understood what the brunette was playing at. His eyes softened just a bit, but he couldn't speak the words he wanted to because he knew there were cameras and microphones. Instead, he squared his shoulders and walked towards the brunette, like he was going to bring the man in. "Do it," he mouthed silently, making a grab for the other man's arm.

Duo abruptly lunged forward, cutting off Wufei's path and swinging his balled fists into Wufei's stomach. The Chinese man choked on a gag, abruptly forgetting his ploy as the wind was knocked out of him for real. Duo caught him by the front of his jacket and lowered him down to the floor. He bent down to look for the keys that Wufei had on him, whispering to Wufei as those half-lidded eyes looked up at him. "No point in both of us going down for this," he said softly, grabbing the keys just as black eyes slid shut. He painfully maneuvered his hand up and behind the other cuff to awkwardly unlock it, but it was better than dislocating his entire hand. With one half free, it was easy to unlock the other end of the cuffs.

On a whim, Duo looked up at the security camera in the corner of the cell and his eyes narrowed. The cuffs still in his hands, he walked up to the device and jumped up, swinging the cuffs as he did. The metal restraints smashed head on into the camera, taking it out with a shower of sparks and debris. Satisfied with his work, Duo walked back over to the unconscious man and knelt next to him with a soft look. "No matter how this works out, I probably won't see you again," he said in a low voice. He reached down and grabbed Wufei by the front of his jacket, lifting him up until his mouth was next to the Chinese man's ear. "Thank you," he whispered, pulling back and placing a soft kiss on Wufei's lips.

After lowering Wufei back to the floor, Duo was off like a shot, prying the vent cover off the duct while spurred by the footsteps down the hall. _Took them long enough, _he thought with a snort. _I had enough time to execute myself. _The fugitive quickly jumped and grabbed the edge of the vent to haul himself up. His muscles quickly began to quiver with strain, and he felt a sweat break out on his forehead. It had been a long time since he'd made his getaway through the vents, and his body wasn't up to par as it had been all those years ago. He still managed to shimmy his way up, turning just enough so he could reach out and hook the edge of the vent cover, pulling it back up to cover his path like he'd never been there.

You'd think Une would have implemented better holding cells after all the times he'd escaped from her during the war.

* * *

><p>It was only a few seconds later that reinforcement arrived, having seen Wufei's downfall before the camera had been destroyed. Wufei had volunteered to get Duo in order to buy time before his scheduled execution, an old fashioned firing squad in this case. He wouldn't watch his war comrade go like that, and had planned to break him out without care to the consequences. But he failed to anticipate that Duo had other plans.<p>

When the agents entered the holding cell, it was to see Wufei on the ground and no trace of the fugitive. "Shit, he's escaped," the squad leader cursed. "Come on men, he couldn't have gotten far! Yuy, get your partner up!" he barked to Heero, leaving without another word. As the rest of the agents swarmed out looking for the escaped pilot, Heero bent down to help his partner, who had woken up to the commotion. Wufei tried his best not to hunch over as he stood, but that boy had a right hook like no one's business and he knew he'd have a good bruise the next morning.

"He got you good," Heero observed casually.

"He didn't want us to get involved," Wufei answered quietly, discreetly eyeing the ventilation on the far wall where he'd watched Duo disappear.

"It makes me wonder what he's got up his sleeve this time," Heero commented, leading his partner out of the jail cell. "He didn't seem fit for an elaborate escape."

Wufei found himself shaking his head grimly. "I'm hoping I'm wrong, but I don't think he'll get very far." He could recall after that sucker punch, placing his hands on Duo for balance and feeling starkly how thin the brunette had become. He suddenly frowned deeper as he followed Heero to the parking lot, a thought had struck him and he didn't like it. "I don't think _he _expects to get far... this might be his last stand," he said in a low voice, sharing a look with his partner as they considered this. "I think he didn't want to bring us down with him."

_No matter how this works out, I probably won't see you again._

His voice had been drawn, sad, and most of all resigned. Not to mention that parting gift. Wufei felt the ghost touch on his lips even from the thought of it, but he quickly banished the feeling. He would think on it later, after today's results.

He just hoped they caught up to Duo before the other Preventer agents did.

* * *

><p>It was later on in the day that Hilde turned on the TV again, scanning the channels for any news. Ever since Duo had gone on the run, she'd been watching the news every day to make sure they hadn't caught him. She hadn't been able to see anything yesterday since she was off site for a job, but today her heart stopped in her chest when she found the news station.<p>

"Earlier today, fugitive Duo Maxwell escaped from his holding cell after knocking a Preventers agent unconscious. Maxwell, former Gundam pilot and terrorist, had been accused of murdering Vice Foreign Minister Peacecraft. After the trial earlier in the morning that found him guilty of the charge, the former Gundam pilot escaped."

"A search ensued for the man, who was presumed armed and dangerous, and Preventers were given the allowance to shoot to kill to bring him in. They chased the fugitive for over an hour, with the hunt moving from the city to wooded countryside. He was shot four times, presumably mortally wounded, before falling into the Boston River. Authorities are sweeping the river bed for a body, but the fugitive Duo Maxwell has been announced dead and justice brought to Relena Peacecraft's murder."

_End Chapter 3_

* * *

><p>Next and final chapter is the conclusion.<p> 


	4. Fell

All In Due Time

Chapter 4: Fell

* * *

><p>2 Weeks Later...<p>

Wufei sighed heavily as he came inside, shutting the door behind him with a soft click and setting his keys down on the entry table. He stood in the quiet of his home and rubbed one hand over the back of his head, smoothing out the fraying ponytail with tired fingers. He heard movement and walked further inside towards the kitchen, finding his guest at the bar counter with a cup of coffee and a haggard look. Sally turned to look at him, trying to smile but finding it hard to do so. "Hey," she said quietly.

"How was your day?" Wufei asked, walking over and stealing her cup for a sip of coffee.

"Rough, like all the others," she replied, not at all bothered by the infraction.

Wufei nodded, setting the cup back on the counter and heading towards the back. He shed his Preventers jacket on the way, untucking his black shirt and removing the waterproof watch. When he set it on the coffee table, the battered thing landed on its face and spun in a few lazy circles, revealing the letters 'DM' etched onto the back. His shoes were kicked off without his usual tidiness, and he headed further down the hall. He stopped in the bathroom to get a look at himself.

The last few weeks had been hard on everyone, and it showed when Wufei looked at his reflection. His hair was constantly fraying from its usual neat tail, and the bags under his eyes were growing a little darker. Instead of his usual cool indifference, his face looked weary and drawn like Sally's. He looked like a man haunted. Wufei sighed, turning on the faucet and running the tap until it got hot. The water was a shock to his cold hands, but he welcomed the feeling and let it wash over him. The heat slowly seeped in, warming his hands and chasing away some of the chill of winter. The Chinese man cupped some of the water and splashed it on his face, letting out a puff of pleased air and repeating the action a few times before turning off the tap.

After drying his face on a hand towel, perhaps scrubbing a little too hard, Wufei headed back towards his bedroom and paused in the doorway, his expression drawn and tired.

The figure on the bed was still out cold, his pale face angled towards the window where the late afternoon sun had spilled in just an hour ago. The sheets were rumpled and skewed from Duo's fever-induced movements, and he tended to throw them off. Sally insisted on covering him up again every time, but the brunette just moved and shifted until he'd thoroughly scrambled the blankets, sometimes entwining himself. It looked like it wasn't so bad today, as the sheets were still half on the fugitive.

Wufei walked further inside and took his usual seat in the arm chair he'd moved from the living room, sinking into the cushions with a tired sigh. Sitting in a wooden chair for hours on end got rather painful, and it only took him two days of sitting at Duo's side to move the furniture. He settled into his seat and immediately took to staring at the monitoring equipment with a look of bland disdain.

The heart rate monitor was steady, his pulse normal if a bit slow from the cold. His breathing seemed fine despite the rattling edge to it, a consistent pace and getting less shallow as the days went by. Duo's fall into the Boston River in the middle of winter had given him a bout of pneumonia, so he was buried in blankets despite the pale sheen of sweat on his forehead.

Wufei looked up when Sally appeared next to him. "Did you want today's run down?" she asked, earning a slow nod from the seated man. "The antibiotics are helping, both with the pneumonia and the infection, but he's still incoherent. He woke up again a while ago, and I managed to get him to drink some juice, but he's still too weak to eat. I want to keep him on the IV for at least another week to make sure he gets enough nutrients."

"He's still on the antibiotics?" Wufei asked, looking up at her. "Isn't that a long course?"

Sally shook her head. "No, he's not on the ones I started with. I wanted to give him levofloxacin, but the tablets are just too big for him to get down. That and they're so expensive that they're not prescribed much, so someone would notice the missing tablets."

"So what is he on now?" the Chinese man asked.

"Well, it was hard to find much else. There are antibiotics that were used so commonly in the past that many bacterial strains are resistant to them now, like the penicillin family. Luckily they've been reformulating the macrolides, and there are enough sick children this time of year that no one will notice a few missing bottles of azithromycin suspension."

"But aren't those for children?"

"Yes, but dosing is based on body weight. He needs more since he's an adult, but it's worth it because he can actually get the liquid down," Sally explained. "He can't even eat, Wufei, let alone swallow a horse pill. I can't help him get better unless he has something in his system fighting the infection."

The Chinese man sighed heavily and turned his stare back to Duo, who hadn't moved an inch since Wufei had first entered the room. He didn't know what was worse to watch, this unnatural stillness or the struggling of his fever-induced nightmares. He had hoped that in the two weeks since the world thought Duo had died, he would have put on some weight. But he was still as thin as ever, just as Sally reminded him.

The woman must have deciphered the look on his face, as she sighed heavily and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Wufei, I didn't mean to worry you more than necessary."

The Chinese man nodded silently, eyes still fixed to the figure on the bed.

"You haven't eaten today," Sally pointed out quietly, not even asking. When Wufei did not respond, she sighed again and rolled her eyes. "I'm going to make some dinner," she said, taking her leave without another word except to mumble something about having two patients.

For a while Wufei stayed in his seat, thinking quietly to himself as he reclined in the chair, staring out the window. Sally briefly stopped by once more to leave him a plate of food and a glass of water, but otherwise she let him be for the evening. He had about half the plate in bits and pieces, leaving the cold remains on the nightstand forgotten.

Eventually, a noise from the bed drew Wufei's attention.

Duo was shifting just a little, his bangs gradually sliding across his face as he turned. His eyes fluttered, opening just a crack to stare up at the ceiling. After a few more moments, blue eyes rolled to gaze around the room hazily from under his lashes, and Duo eventually came to rest his sights on Wufei like he usually did. "Wu," he croaked. Sometimes it was in query because he didn't know where he was, but today it was a greeting.

"Hey," Wufei replied, reaching out to brush Duo's bangs away before they could obstruct the brunette's vision, for what it was worth. "How are you feeling?"

Duo took in a long breath before closing his eyes and exhaling. Finally, after a long pause and some effort, his eyes opened up again to focus blearily on Wufei. "Tired," he said thickly. "My throat hurts."

"You're still sick," Wufei told him patiently.

"Are they coming?" he asked.

"No, you're safe," he reminded the former Deathscythe pilot.

Every time Duo woke up, no matter how lucid or incoherent he was, he asked if someone was after him, or mentioned running. Then Wufei reminded him of what happened, with patience, and watched the relief take Duo's features. Sometimes he thought Duo genuinely didn't remember all that had happened, but Wufei knew most of the time he was afraid someone had discovered the deception, that he was still alive. He was so tired of running that the idea of someone coming after him now scared the man. He was in no shape to get away this time, or even be transported. It was so cold outside that Wufei feared it would kill Duo if they ever had to move him, since he was not over the pneumonia.

Wufei knew the usual recovery time for a healthy adult was something like 1-3 weeks, but Duo was having a hard time getting over the infection. The news hadn't lied when they said he'd been shot four times, and the stress and toll those injuries took on his body was hampering his ability to fight off the pneumonia. The prognosis hadn't been good when Sally first looked over him, and with no access to a hospital, it was hard dealing with the blood loss. Things had looked grim.

"Wu?"

The Chinese man came out of his thoughts, his eyes shifting back to Duo's tired and pale face. "Yes?"

The brunette looked like he was going to say something, but his eyes flashed and he shut his mouth, frowning. Finally he moved once more to speak, but Wufei had no doubt it was not the original words intended. "M'tired," he said simply.

"Go back to sleep, Duo," Wufei told him. "I'll be right here."

Duo's eyes slowly began to slide shut as he took a deep, rattling breath. "Thanks Wu," he sighed, dropping back into sleep as if he'd never awoken. The only difference now was that his face was angled towards Wufei, who continued to sit at his bedside for the rest of the day.

* * *

><p>"Wufei?"<p>

Wufei looked up from his book in surprise to see the brunette staring straight up at the ceiling. For a moment he thought he'd imagined the meek call of his name, especially since it wasn't the nicknames Duo had fallen back into using. Week three of Duo hiding out with Wufei had the brunette slipping in and out of consciousness more rapidly. Wufei wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, and it often times threw him for a loop with how quickly the brunette went from being out of it to lucid.

After staring at the brunette for a moment and deciding he really had heard correctly, he responded. "Yes, Duo?"

"What happened to my hair?" he asked after a long pause, looking over to Wufei with unfocused eyes. The Chinese man deflated slightly, unsure of how to answer the question. Duo's fever had spiked again, so he was obviously out of it. Wufei just didn't know how to respond to this without causing him a great amount of distress in his state of confusion. By the way Duo's hand would grasp at the hair at the back of his neck when he was sleeping, it was obvious he missed the braid. Wufei recalled having seen Duo wring the braid in his hands often in the past when he was nervous, almost like a security blanket.

"You cut it, Duo," he said calmly, trying to project that towards his patient.

"I did?" the brunette replied, his voice going a little higher in anxiety. "Why?"

"You decided it was time for a change," he answered softly.

Duo was silent for a few moments as he processed this information, trying to work through his muddled mind why he would possibly want to cut his hair. Finally, he seemed to give up on contemplating this notion, turning his furrowed gaze back to the ceiling and making a small 'hm' noise in the back of his throat. "I don' feel good. Why am I here?" he asked.

"You're sick," Wufei replied patiently, in answer to both the observation and the question. The count for how many times he'd explained this to Duo was probably about two dozen at this point.

"You been takin' care of me?" the brunette asked suddenly in a brief moment of lucidity. "Why?"

"Because..." he trailed off slowly, rethinking his first response. He owed Duo a lot more than 'because I want you to get better' or 'because I'm your friend.' These were both true, but he owed Duo the whole truth, not a painted picture. He took a deep breath. "Because... I'm sorry we didn't stand up for you when this all started," he said quietly

"It's okay," Duo breathed in a haggard sigh. "I wouldn' want you guys ta get pulled inna my shit mess," he said quietly.

"We should have," Wufei insisted. "We shed blood together, Duo, all of us. I wish we had been more help to you before it escalated. I wish you had come to us."

"Didn' wan' them lookin' at you," the brunette explained, noticing the confused look Wufei had on his face. "Ya know, they mighta thought you were in on it wit' me," he elaborated.

The Chinese man sighed and shook his head, glaring out the window where rain fell in an endless assault against the glass. His dark, brooding stare cut through the gray haze outside as he mulled silently. Because he was looking away, he missed the look of concern Duo was giving him. Finally, he sighed again, a quick, agitated sound. "They should have," he growled lowly. "If you mess with one Gundam pilot, you mess with them all," he promised darkly, no longer speaking to Duo, but to society that had wronged them all, both in the past and present.

* * *

><p>Duo's recovery started rather abruptly near the end of week four, when Wufei walked into the bedroom to see his patient sitting mostly upright and drinking from a cup of soup Sally must have prepared for him. He was in that ratty sweater he couldn't give up, but at least it was clean now. Wufei had washed it twice for good measure, since it had several months worth of dirt embedded in the fibers that a dip in the river and the first wash couldn't completely eradicate. He would have just thrown it away, but Duo would have taken his head off for that, whether or not he was on death's door.<p>

When he noticed Wufei come in, he looked up with a crooked smile. His face was still drawn and pale, flushed in the cheeks from his receding fever, but he was definitely recovering. "Hey Wu. Thanks for washin' my sweater."

"I'd sooner have thrown it out," Wufei said as he walked further into the room and sat in the arm chair, which Duo eyed with an odd look on his face.

"Gettin' comfy?" he asked.

The Chinese man leaned back in his chair and brought his feet up to rest on the edge of the mattress. "Well, between the pneumonia and incredible blood loss someone had to be at your side pretty much all hours of the day," he pointed out, earning another sheepish smile from the brunette.

"I appreciate it," Duo said meekly, putting the empty mug aside. "You're risking a lot for me, harboring a fugitive."

"What can I say," Wufei hummed blandly, a smirk pulling his lips. "You're a worthwhile pain in the ass."

"Hey- You're always here when I wake up. Did you quit?" the brunette asked suddenly. "Did they fire you? I'll raise hell if they fired you!"

The Chinese man chuckled at Duo's indignant response, shaking his head. "I'm not fired. I'm just on a leave of absence for 'personal reasons.' Something about the trauma of hunting down a former comrade and watching him be shot down, I don't remember for sure."

Duo grimaced. "Talk about hamming it up. What about 'Ro? Where's he at?"

"He's still on the job, making sure no suspicions arise about you. He's stopped by to see you, but you're always out cold when he comes by," Wufei explained, recalling the back and forth Heero had been engaging in. He was at the office or out on missions most of the time, and when he was in town he was over at Wufei's to see the patient. His persistence couldn't seem to pay off, as Heero just couldn't seem to catch Duo on one of his better days.

"Well I'm here now," Duo said with a foxish grin. "Tell 'im to come wish me well."

"Right, I'll inform him that the invalid is up and about."

"If I'm up an' about I can't be invalid, smartass. What about the other two? What have they heard of all this?" Duo asked, thinking of Quatre and Trowa. Then his eyes widened. "An' Hilde!"

"Hilde knows you are alive," Wufei answered before the patient could work himself into a tizzy. "They all do. Heero sent the girl something about finding her lost dog, and that we were taking care of it. He got really quite creative with the e-mail, you should see it sometime," he said, ignoring Duo's frantic laughter that seemed to be paining his injuries. "Winner and Barton are also informed. As far as I know Quatre is trying to get away to see you, and Trowa should be following soon after. We don't want to draw attention, so it will be a little bit before they show up."

"Oh, well that's cool," Duo said. "As long as they know I'm not dead," he said happily. Then another thought struck him, and he found himself tiring of being out of the loop. At least while he was on the run he could scrounge newspapers to keep updated on where his chase was. But being unconscious for four weeks didn't lend much. "What about Sal? How long has she been in this?"

"She has been here helping me take care of you from day one. She brought the antibiotics to help you recover," the Chinese man explained. "No one's questioning her occasional absence since she's always made house calls when she's not out on missions."

"Well god bless Sal," Duo laughed. "So it wasn't a nightmare when someone was trying to shove smelly pink slop down my throat!"

* * *

><p>True to Wufei's word, it was about a week later that Duo received a visitor, a month since everything had gone down with his trial and supposed 'death.'<p>

"Someone's here to see you," Wufei announced, standing aside as Quatre rushed into the room.

"Quat!" Duo said in surprise.

"Oh Duo, I'm so sorry!" the blonde exclaimed as he approached the bed and wrapped the brunette in a hug. "Everything came up so fast, I didn't get the message about your trial until they were announcing you dead on the news!" he said in a choked voice. "I really thought you were dead! I'm so sorry I missed your trial!"

"Aw, Quat," Duo said in a soft voice, bringing his arms up to return the embrace. "It's okay. They wanted me guilty either way," he assured, patting the blonde on the back. He had wanted Quatre to be there, but the whole thing had happened so fast so it was hard to expect the man to make it. From his capture to his supposed death, the whole fiasco had only lasted three days. "No worries, Quat," he said, giving the blonde one more squeeze before they pulled apart.

"Everyone was in such a mess, I couldn't even get off colony for weeks! I'm just lucky Wufei contacted me before I worried myself into an early grave!"

"You couldn't?" Duo asked in surprise. "I thought you were just laying low. Is security still that tight between colonies?"

"Travel is near impossible still," the blonde replied. "At least considering they think you're dead. It's like they think your ghost is going to go colony hopping," he insisted, half amused and half angry. Then his furrowed eyebrows lifted in a sad look. "And your hair..." Quatre said in disappointment, looking upset still.

Duo shrugged, running a hand through his short hair and ruffling it. "I'm over it," he said casually, but Wufei eyed him from his position in the doorway. The Chinese man knew better, but didn't call Duo out on it. "Sides," Duo continued. "I can always grow it back out. But I gotta keep it short for a while. Maybe dye it or something."

"It's not that it doesn't suit you," Quatre added with s kind smile. "It's just a shame that you were forced to cut it. Would you really dye it?" the blonde asked, a hint of a grin quirking his lips now.

The brunette snorted. "Yeah, if it keeps that cluster fuck from happening again," Duo joked. "I've already lopped it off, dying the last inch won't phase me."

"You should try blonde," Wufei suggested, returning their attention to him and his lazy smirk. "Then you two could pass as brothers."

"We totally would," Duo snickered. "And with your hoard of sisters I'm sure you wouldn't mind a brother."

The blonde laughed at the notion. "It would have been nice growing up with another boy in the house."

"I would think so. Talk about being the only sausage at a taco fest."

Wufei suddenly sputtered indignantly from the crude imagery, while Quatre only laughed at the pleased smirk on Duo's face.

* * *

><p>It was later on in the evening after dinner that they were all situated in Duo's recovery room once more. Wufei had offered for the blonde to stay the night, who cleared his schedule over the phone and made it clear he was not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency. Even then Wufei felt it would take a lot of trouble to tear the blonde away at this point.<p>

Now Quatre had that look on his face that the other two would have recognized if they had ever been in a business meeting with the blonde. Besides being a solid tactician, Quatre also carried the air of diplomatic power with him from running such a high profile company, and that grace of control was showing as the blonde announced his plan.

"Duo, I want to start an investigation on who actually killed Relena. I want to clear your name."

The brunette looked slightly surprised, blinking at the blonde for a moment before gathering his wits. "Maybe we should jus' leave it be," Duo said, shrugging. "Everyone thinks I'm dead."

"I don't care _what _they think," Quatre replied sternly. "I will not stand for history books painting you as Relena's murderer and I won't stand for you having to live in secret for the rest of your life."

"Quat, I killed plenty of people-"

"We all have," the blonde cut in, booking no room for argument. "But you did _not _kill Relena Peacecraft, and someone out there _did_. I will make sure that truth is brought to light, no matter how long it takes me. I won't have you remembered for a crime you didn't commit, I want the world to know you for the good you've done."

Duo cleared his throat and looked away as his eyes started burning, trying to dispel the oncoming tears by blinking them away. But the lump in his throat only grew, especially when Quatre leaned forward to pull him into a hug, rubbing his back comfortingly. Duo couldn't remember the last time he'd cried like this, but hearing Quatre defend him so vehemently just made his heart ache.

"Don't worry Duo, now that the world has stopped hunting you, we can figure out who did this and put away the bastard who killed Relena," he said quietly, patting the brunette's back. "You know I'll always stand with you."

Duo allowed himself one small sniff, reaching a hand up to rub at his eyes. "Thanks Quat," he whispered haggardly. "I'm just tired," he added.

"I know you are," Quatre replied. "But it's okay now. Everything's okay."

_End Chapter 4_

* * *

><p>Okay, so I lied. This was going to be the last chapter, but someone mentioned Relena's killer and I was like "Well shit, who <em>did <em>kill her?" So now you guys are getting a chapter 5! I hope you're happy now!


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